Every Parent Matters

Children do better in school when their parents (or carers) are closely involved in their education. Parental involvement is high on the government agenda for education, particularly now as the focus of providing for children is on 'wraparound care'. This kind of care is meant to ensure that children are looked after, regardless of the environment they are in, and the professionals involved in caring for them do so collaboratively. Parents naturally have a vital role to play and it is critical that they have an effective relationship with school staff.

However, getting parents involved in school life and supporting their children at home is not always simple or straightforward. There are many reasons why schools and teachers find it hard to involve parents - they may not have had training or any communication with the parents (because of a language barrier, for instance). And, when teachers do meet parents, they may find it impossible to have an effective meeting - emotions may be running high; there may be misunderstandings and barriers present already, there may be widely differing expectations of those involved and/or what the meeting is supposed to accomplish.

Every Parent Matters is a very practical book for teachers on how to set up effective relationships with the parents of their students. The book is based on an approach developed by Linda Baker and her colleagues at the Kent County Councils Parent Partnership Service. They have been using the approach for years to help teachers develop effective interpersonal and negotiation skills. These skills can be used by anyone, in any situation (and so are not key stage or UK-education specific).